Syllable Poem

We used Alan Bagnell's Endangered Bird poem as our model to write our own poem with the same amount of syllables in a line. 

Traffic Lights

We love playing our new game Traffic Lights that Mrs Hughes introduced to us. 

The leader writes down (in secret) a four digit number. The others have to guess what that number is by writing their own four digit number on the board. The leader then gives them a code to let let know how close they were to the leaders number:
 

✓ Right number, right place

.   Right number, wrong place

✕ Wrong number 

This helps us to read four digit numbers correctly, understand place value, write our digits correctly and help us think logically while being great fun! As you can see many of Room 16 students choose to play it during choosing time.

Thank you Mrs Hughes!

Fishing with Hiwi the Kiwi

Last week our whole school got to watch the Hiwi the Kiwi show. We learnt lots about trying to keep safe on a boat and how to fish sustainably - this means fishing so that we and future children get to eat fish caught in New Zealand waters. 

It is important to measure any fish you catch. Fish less than 27cm long have to be put back gently into the water so they can grow up and have lots of fish babies (for us to eat in the future!). Fish more than 27cm long can be kept, unless they are massive fish and then they also have to go back into the sea as they might be a mother fish and could lay lots more eggs to turn into fish we can eat in the future. 

In Room 16 we decided to practice measuring fish so we would know what fish are okay to eat and which fish need to go back into the sea. 

Remember that from 2014 April next year, a fish has to be 30cm before you can keep it. Any fish less than 30cm has to go back into the water.

Happy fishing! 

Our buddy Peter

Peter is a new member of Room 16. We changed him from a cardboard figure to a clothed, smiling boy. 

We made a tally chart to see if Peter would be a boy or a girl. We all had a name for our buddy and there were too many to choose. So we chose the 16 letter of the alphabet as we are Room 16. This letter was P. Our three boy names to choose from were: Peter, Pheenyx and Philip - Peter won hands down with 14 of us choosing Peter. 

We all had lots of different ideas on who Peter lived with, so we decided to pick one of each idea. Peter lives with his Dad, his aunty, Grandma, two older brothers and two younger sisters - what a big family!

Peter loves to do P.E. especially running. He enjoys art in class but loves reading the most. He is a great singer and often leads our class at Kapa Haka. He doesn't like play fighting, people being mean or cricket! 

You will see Peter with Room 16 throughout the day. Come over and say hi!

Afro Cuban Drumming

We all loved watching and being part of the drumming show last week and this is reflected in our writing. See below for a small snapshot of how we felt:

When Porsha, Ailish and their friends played the music, slowly my heart danced and then I heard more and my heart danced and danced. I felt a shock then a shoot of music. I could feel the beat exploring into my body, I could hear nothing but music. I felt like I was being touched by the music. It's amazing. It's like I'm in a land full of nothing but music instruments and music notes. The sound of beats just powerful, it can control my feelings. I think they're really talented. I want to be them. 

Leah

When the people started playing the drums I felt shy. The drumming was amazing. It almost felt like: windows smashing, lights cracking, doors swinging, trees falling because I was surrounded by music.

Tia

I felt like the drums weren't working, I felt like it was just my heart pumping. In my mind I could see music notes coming out of each instrument. My mind was filled up with music and enjoyment. I thought it was the best music I've ever heard in my whole life.

Sonia

Inside my body I felt all boring. Suddenly... party in the body! I said, "What an awesome band". I heard the drums banging up and down. A lady was playing an electric guitar. A girl was singing but singing in Spanish. Powerfully the band's music almost filled up my brain  with music.

Reydon

We have had a great start to Term 4. Last Thursday the artist Lynne Sinclair Taylor came into school to show the Totara Team how to create works of art using chalk pastels. 

And on Tuesday the whole school were lucky enough to watch the Afro Cuban Band from Sacred Heart Girls' College play. 

With such great inspiration, Room 16 can't wait to get started on our art and music. Look forward to sharing it with you throughout the term.